Tucson: Greyhounds & Friends Fall Festival

What are you doing this Saturday November 5th from 10 a.m. to 1 to 2 p.m.?

Why not bring your pups (all breeds of dogs are welcome), yourself, and your friends to Brandi Fenton Memorial Park (Ramada A) for a fabulous time? The weather promises to be a tad cooler; a great day for an outing.

You will undoubtedly meet many greyhounds and greyhound adopters as well as other animal rescues — Hope Animal Shelter, Greyhound Adoption League (GAL), AZ Greyhounds Inc. from Sierra Vista, Gabriel’s Angels, Southern Arizona Beagle Rescue, AWASA, and Equine Voices.

KOLD News 13 anchor and animal defender Heather Rowe is the celebrity host and Steve Randles & Joan Russell are the honored guests. Steve and Joan started Arizona Greyhound Rescue in the early 90s as they saw a desperate need to save racing greyhounds when they could no longer run fast enough. Back then greyhounds were not considered pets. Those of us in the adoption community are thrilled to have them at this event. Joan and Steve are my heroes.

Thank you to Ina Road Animal Hospital for being the title sponsor.

At the Festival, you can:
–Have your dogs and kids (in that order) photo taken with Santa Michael Lent from Pantano Animal Clinic and his merry elves;
–Shop for cool, handmade, patented, pretty, artful designer things for you and your hounds;
–Get your dogs nails trimmed (by Pima Medical Institute);
–Have your pets blessed (by Darla Norrish);
–Learn how to give your dog a massage (by A Loyal Companion)
–Bid on exciting silent auction items including a team-signed UA Wildcats basketball and fine dining package (includes $100 gift card from Sullivan’s – I’m hungry!);
–Win raffle basket prizes;
–Enter your dog to be a judge in the Biscuit Throw Down (my recipe won last year!);
–Learn positive dog training (by Seize the Leash);
–Talk to an animal communicator (Kat Riegel);
–Find out why your greyhound goes into statue mode and watch the turkey neck demo (Claudia Presto/Greyhound Gang from Kanab, Utah);
–Watch dancing dogs (Tucson Musical Canines);
–Sparkle with glittery face painting
–Listen to the DJ sounds of Five Star Productions

You can also bid on dazzling desserts in the live Dessert Auction. This was like a competitive sport last year.

Some lucky people (and the highest bidders) will be going home with:

–Triple Layer Dark Chocolate Cake filled with salted caramel and frosted with whipped chocolate caramel ganache from Marianne Banes/Bluefin

–Luscious Lemony Lemon Cake – Sous Chef Distinctive Catering

–Chocolate Fudge Cake with chocolate fudge frosting – Lovin’ Spoonfuls (vegan sheet cake)

–Zucchini Carrot Layer Cake with toasted pecans and cream cheese frosting – Sarah Wasserman/Baker/AGR Volunteer Director

–Greyhound Cameo Cake with raspberry cream filling and fondant frosting – Suzi’s Sweet Shoppe

If you get hungry during the event Quesadillas & More sells yummy Mexican fare and Robeks Juices sell refreshing fruity smoothies.

The cost is $5/per family and includes a door prize ticket.

Arizona Greyhound Rescue is an all-volunteer 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that rescues retired race dogs and finds loving forever homes for them from the dog track in South Tucson plus other dogs tracks (racing still exists in 7 states), breeding farms, greyhound mixes from local shelters, and assorted other dogs in need. AGR provides spay/neuter, medical services, kennel care, socialization/foster care. There is always a need for volunteers for special events, foster care, kennel care, meet and greets.

Dogs Rule Sponsors: Global Coaching, Greyhound Guild, GREY2K USA Education Fund, the doctors Stacey & Michael Lent (veterinarians), Michael Lent/Pantano Animal Clinic.

Greyt Friends Sponsor: Mr. and Mrs. Mark Walker, Memorial for Slapstick “Slappy” the Greyhound by the Dinsmore Family

Thanks to Suzanne Morrison/Back Country Photography, Loren’s Pooper Scooper, Pima Medical Institute, Five Star Production DJs, for volunteering their professional services and lots of volunteers who have put this event together.

P.S. If you have been reading Tucson Tails for awhile you know that greyhounds are my life. I’ve been a lucky adopter since 1998 when I fell under the greyhound spell. Please come out and enjoy a few hours, make some new friends, and celebrate our very special sight hounds.

(The Festival logo was graciously created by the very talented Tucson artist Courtney Kelly who has a stunning prize in the silent auction.)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 at 5:15 pm and is filed under Animal Events, Dogs, Canines, Fun with Fido, Barking Encouraged, Greyhounds. Tags for this post: greyhounds, Tucson dogs, Tucson greyhounds, Tucson pet event. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.